Professor Liu Hailong from the Center for Journalism and Social Development of Renmin University of China was invited to Guangzhou University for academic activities

In the afternoon of May 15, 2020, a cloud lecture titled "Viral Communication" was successfully held at Tencent Conference Platform. The lecture was the fourth in a series of academic activities organized by the School of Journalism and Communication of Guangzhou University and hosted by the Institute of New Media and Social Development of Guangzhou University. Prof. Liu Hailong, the Young Changjiang Distinguished Professor of Ministry of Education, Distinguished Young Scholar of Renmin University of China and PhD supervisor of the Center for Journalism and Social Development of Renmin University of China, was invited as a guest speaker and gave a lecture entitled "Viral Communication". The lecture was hosted by Prof. Li Chunlei, a professor and doctoral supervisor at the School of Journalism and Communication of Guangzhou University.

According to Prof. Liu Hailong, the events and issues arising from the epidemic have a certain impact on the current society, how should we think about them in the context of communication disciplines? At present, we may enter a post-epidemic era, where the global outbreak of the epidemic carries a shadow of human civilization and coexists for a long time; the intensification of a mediated society, such as away from the body office, teaching, shopping, communication, etc.; the virus also affects human values, and we may be in a state of exception, for example, something happens at home and abroad with conflicting values, even if it is a minor conflict, However, it may also lead to the differentiation of contradictions; the world's opposition to China's Otherization and de-Chinalization against the upsurge of Chinese nationalism also involves international communication, national communication and the rise of internet nationalism. In addition, the epidemic poses a threat to values such as democracy, freedom, and privacy. As seen from the above phenomena, the factors that bring influence by biology all have the potential to change our human society and behavior.

Professor Hailong Liu said that although viruses are objective, the understanding of viruses actually has a constructive component and there are many cultural and value relationships. The understanding of the communication discipline is adjusted with the change of time, how to look at the concept of communication from the perspective of viruses, what is the difference between the communication of viruses and the communication of information, and some other issues deserve our deep thinking. In the era of new media, new perspectives on communication research have led to a revolution in the topics and focus of traditional communication research. Viral communication shows another possibility of "communication" and "communication research", and gives us a chance to reflect and criticize the existing communication stereotypes under the mask of virus.

During the lecture, Prof. Liu Hailong discussed topics such as "new communication research" and "viral communication", the difference between viral communication and information communication, viral "communication" and not information "communication", and what is a medium: two ways of understanding viruses and countermeasures.

Before the end of the lecture, the participating teachers and students had interaction and exchange with Professor Liu Hailong on relevant academic topics